SNU proud to announce Kayleen Browning as top finalist for Oklahoma Teacher of the Year

SNU proud to announce Kayleen Browning as top finalist for Oklahoma Teacher of the Year

The Southern Nazarene University (SNU) School of Education is thrilled to share the news that Kayleen Browning (‘91) an alumna of SNU has been selected as a finalist for Oklahoma Teacher of the Year.Kayleen is one of 12 finalists for the title.

Photo provided by Yukon Public Schools

“Counselor, nurse, secretary, friend, mentor, encourager, parent, disciplinarian, and coach are just some of the titles a teacher holds… I am honored to think that I have played such an amazing role in students’ lives,” said Kayleen Browning.

Kayleen teaches 5th grade social studies, spelling and writing at Yukon Skyview Elementary.She has been in her current position for 4 years and has a total of 13 years experience in education with previous employment at Putnam City schools and Yakima schools in Washington State.Browning received her Bachelors degree in elementary education from Southern Nazarene University.

“I am proud to be an SNU alumna”…“I cherish all the professors who gave me a great start in my teaching career,” said Browning.

As Yukon Public Schools stated in a published interview with Browning, her philosophy is as follows: "Just as the fathers of the Declaration of Independence believed of citizens, she believes all students have certain “unalienable rights:the rights of caring, confidence and pursuit of learning.” "Teachers must develop personal relationships with their students and build their pupils’ confidence.Effective teachers are creative, develop teaching strategies around student interests, and aren’t afraid of non-traditional environments."

“We are delighted that “One of our own” has been selected as a finalist for Oklahoma State Teacher of the Year.We are proud of Kayleen and the excellent teaching she is providing the students in her classes.She is a tremendous representation of the SNU Teacher Education program,” said Dr. Tim Taylor, Director of Teacher Education at Southern Nazarene University.

Congratulations are in order to Kayleen Browning for being named one of the twelve finalists for the Oklahoma State Teacher of the Year.

For more information on the Southern Nazarene University School of Education, visit

The School of Education at Southern Nazarene University is committed to the development of the whole person. To that end, we seek to develop character, emphasizing values such as honesty and integrity; culture, with an eye toward relevance in today's society; and, a Christian worldview, with a deep commitment to the Christian faith.

The general purpose of professional Teacher Education at Southern Nazarene University is to orient the teacher candidates to the teaching profession within a framework of Christian principles and to assist them in becoming competent decision-makers in a democratic society.

Founded in 1899, Southern Nazarene University is a private, Christian, liberal arts university - a service of the Church of the Nazarene. Located on a 40-acre campus just west of Oklahoma City, SNU grew out of several small colleges committed to training people for service to God and their fellow man. More than 32,000 alumni work and serve throughout the United States and the world. Read More